SS Empire Energy

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Coordinates: 51°31′45.50″N 56°07′21.15″W / 51.5293056°N 56.1225417°W / 51.5293056; -56.1225417
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

History
Name
  • Grete (1923–34)
  • Gabbiano (1934–40)
  • Empire Energy (1940–41)
Owner
  • C Mohlenburg Reederei GmbH (1923–34)
  • Achille Lauro(1934–40)
  • Ministry of War Transport (1940–41)
Operator
  • C Mohlenburg Reederei GmbH (1923–34)
  • Achille Lauro(1934–40)
  • E R Management Co Ltd (1940–41)
Port of registry
  • Weimar Republic Hamburg, Germany (1923–33)
  • Germany Hamburg (1933–34)
  • Kingdom of Italy Naples, Italy (1934–40)
  • United Kingdom London, United Kingdom (1940–41)
BuilderNeptun AG
Launched1923
CompletedJuly 1923
Out of service5 November 1941
Identification
  • Italian Official Number 428 (1934–40
  • United Kingdom
    Official Number
    167601 (1940–41)
  • Code Letters RDMP (1923–34)
  • Code Letters IBOP (1934-40)
  • Code Letters GLWY (1940–41)
FateWrecked
General characteristics
TypeCargo ship
Tonnage
  • 6,570 GRT (1923–34)
  • 6,584 GRT (1934–40)
  • 6,589 GRT (1940–41)
  • 4,005 NRT (1923–34)
  • 3,951 NRT (1934–40)
  • 3,954 NRT (1940–41)
Length440 ft 0 in (134.11 m)
Beam57 ft 1 in (17.40 m)
Draught25 ft 9.25 in (7.85 m)
Depth29 ft 9 in (9.07 m)
Installed power720
nhp
PropulsionTriple-expansion steam engine, low-pressure steam turbine, double-reduction geared driving a single screw propeller
Speed11 knots (20 km/h)
SS Empire Energy is located in Newfoundland
SS Empire Energy
class=notpageimage|
Location where Empire Energy was wrecked.

Empire Energy was a 6,548 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1923 as Grete by Neptun AG, Rostock, Germany. She was sold to an Italian firm in 1932 and renamed Gabbiano. She was seized by the United Kingdom in 1940, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Energy. She served until 5 November 1941, when she ran aground off Cape Norman, Newfoundland, and was wrecked.

Description

The ship was built in 1923 by Neptun AG, Rostock.[1]

The ship was 440 feet 0 inches (134.11 m) long, with a beam of 57 feet 1 inch (17.40 m). She had a depth of 29 feet 9 inches (9.07 m),[2] and a draught of 25 feet 9.25 inches (7.85 m).[3] She was assessed at 6,570 GRT, 4,005 NRT.[2]

The ship was propelled by a 720

triple-expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 29+1⁄2 inches (75 cm), 48 inches (120 cm) and 78+3⁄4 inches (200 cm) diameter by 51+3⁄16 inches (130.0 cm) stroke. The engine was built by Neptun AG, Rostock. A low-pressure steam turbine drove a single screw propeller through double-reduction gearing and a hydraulic coupling.[2] It could propel the ship at 11 knots (20 km/h).[4]

History

Grete was launched in 1923, she was completed in July that year. She was built for C Mohlenberg Reederei

Code Letters RDMP were allocated and her port of registry was Hamburg.[2] In 1934, Grete was sold to Achille Lauro & Co, Naples, Italy and was renamed Gabbiano.[1] The Italian Official Number 428 and Code Letters IBOP were allocated. Her port of registry was Naples. She was assessed at 6,584 GRT, 3,951 NRT.[5]

On 10 June 1940, Gabbiano was in port at Liverpool, Lancashire, when Italy declared war against the United Kingdom.[1] She was captured by crew from HMS Glasgow, which was then under repair at Liverpool and berthed near Gabbiano.[6] Her captain and crew were caught off guard by the boarding party and offered no resistance. They were allowed to collect their belongings before leaving the ship and being interned as enemy aliens.[7]

The ship was seized as a

Official Number 167601 and Code Letters GLWY were allocated. She was placed under the management of the E R Management Co Ltd. Her port of registry was London. She was assessed at 6,589 GRT, 3,954 NRT.[3]

Empire Energy was a member of Convoy OB 192, which departed from Liverpool on 31 July 1940 and dispersed at 54°26′N 20°16′W / 54.433°N 20.267°W / 54.433; -20.267 on 4 August.

Portuguese West Africa, where she arrived on 1 January 1941.[10]

Empire Energy sailed on 12 January for

Argyllshire, from where she departed on 9 August as a member of Convoy WN 165, which arrived at Methil, Fife on 11 August.[10] She then joined Convoy FS 566, which departed on 12 August and arrived at Southend, Essex two days later.[16] She arrived at Middlesbrough on 13 August.[10]

Empire Energy departed on 9 September to join Convoy FN 515,

Big Brook, Newfoundland and was wrecked. She was declared a total loss,[1] but there were no casualties amongst her crew.[19] As of 2009, the wreck of Empire Energy is in situ at 51°31′45.50″N 56°07′21.15″W / 51.5293056°N 56.1225417°W / 51.5293056; -56.1225417
.

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 1-85044-275-4
    .
  2. ^ a b c d "Lloyd's Register, Navires A Vapeur Et A Moteurs" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Lloyd's Register, Steamers & Motorships" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  4. ^ "SS Empire Energy (+1941)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  5. ^ "Lloyd's Register, Steamers & Motorships" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  6. ^ "Naval Events, June 1940, Part 2 of 4: Saturday 8th – Friday 14th". Naval History. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  7. ^ "Royal Navy: HMS Glasgow". WW2 Database. BBC People's War. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  8. ^ "Prize Courts". The Times. No. 48467. London. 20 June 1940. col E, p. 1.
  9. ^ "Convoy OB.192". Convoyweb. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Empire Energy". Convoyweb. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  11. ^ "Convoy SL.64S". Convoyweb. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  12. ^ "Convoy OB.327". Convoyweb. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  13. ^ "Convoy OB.336". Convoyweb. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  14. ^ "Convoy HX 139". Warsailors. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  15. ^ "Convoy HX.140". Convoyweb. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  16. ^ "Convoy FS.566 = Convoy FS.66 / Phase 6". Convoyweb. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  17. ^ "Convoy FN.515 = Convoy FN.15 / Phase 6". Convoyweb. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  18. ^ "Convoy EC.72". Convoyweb. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  19. ^ a b "Convoy SC 52". Warsailors. Retrieved 28 August 2011.

External links


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